armies, whose defeat was recorded
by the inscriptions as well as the tribute which they had been forced
to pay. The sense of their own weakness prevented the Egyptians from
passing from useless regrets to action; when, however, one or other of
the Pharaohs felt sufficiently secure on the throne to carry his troops
far afield, he was always attracted to Syria, and crossed her frontiers,
often, alas! merely to encounter defeat.

[Illustration: 095.jpg Tailpiece]

CHAPTER II--THE RISE OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE

_PHOENICIA AND THE NORTHERN NATIONS AFTER THE DEATH OP RAMSES III.--THE
FIRST ASSYRIAN EMPIRE: TIGLATH-PILESUR I.--THE ARAMAEANS AND THE KHATI._

_The continuance of Egyptian influence over Syrian civilization after
the death of Ramses III.--Egyptian myths in Phoenicia: Osiris and Isis
at Byblos--Horus, Thot, and the origin of the Egyptian alphabet--The
tombs at Arvad and the Kabr-Hiram; Egyptian designs in Phoenician glass
and goldsmiths'work--Commerce with Egypt, the withdrawal of Phoenician
colonies in the AEgean Sea and the Achaeans in Cyprus; maritime
expeditions in the Western Mediterranean._

_Northern Syria: the decadence of the Hittites and the steady growth
of the Aramaean tribes--The decline of the Babylonian empire under the
Cossaean kings, and its relations with Egypt: Assuruballit, Bammdn-nirdri
I. and the first Assyrian conquests--Assyria, its climate, provinces,
and cities: the god Assur and his Ishtar--The wars against
Chaldaea: Shalmaneser I., Tulculi-ninip I., and the taking of
Babylon--Belchadrezzar and the last of the Cosssaeans._

_The dynasty of Pashe: Nebuchadrezzar I., his disputes with Elam, his
defeat by Assurrishishi--The legend of the first Assyrian empire, Ninos
and Semiramis--The Assyrians and their political constitution: the
limmu, the king and his divine character, his hunting and his wars--The
Assyrian army: the infantry and chariotry, the crossing of rivers, mode
of marching in the plains and in the mountain districts--Camps, battles,
sieges; cruelty shown to the vanquished, the destruction of towns and
the removal of the inhabitants, the ephemeral character of the Assyrian
conquests._

_Tiglath pileser I.: Ms campaign against the Mushhu, his conquest of
Kurhhi and of the regions of the Zab--The petty Asiatic kingdoms
and their civilization: art and writing in the old Hittite
states--Tiglath-pileser I. in Nairi and in Syria: his triumphal stele
at Sebbeneh-Su--His bu